An issue that many readers have been concerned about since the State Examinations Commission (SEC) released Leaving Certificate results last Friday has been the potential fallout if a student secures an uplift of marks following a remarking of some of their subject results and then becomes eligible for a higher course choice, but it is now full.
Access to the free fees scheme after a successful appeal
The question relates to the position regarding the eligibility of such students, who receive a Leaving Certificate upgrade, to avail of the free fees scheme. The current position is that where a student receives an upgrade of their Leaving Certificate results, they can immediately change, where possible, to their higher course choice.
However, there have been cases where this has not been possible and students have been allowed to continue on their lower course choice and transfer to year one of their higher course choice the following year.
What are the circumstances under which such students can qualify under the free fees initiative?
Free fees are allowable where a student repeats year one, where in their “repeat year” the student commences the course of study in the chosen institution which they had originally applied for on their CAO application. It is allowable where, following a Leaving Certificate recheck and upgrade, not having received sufficient points from their initial Leaving Certificate results, and where the student cannot be accommodated by the institution on their higher choice of study in year one (as all places have been filled), the student is granted a deferral so they can commence their higher choice of study the following year.
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Alternatively, where the institution has a place for the student on their higher course of study, but due to commencement of the course in September, together with intensive course content, the institution confirms it would be unfeasible for the student to make up the study time lost and a deferral is granted for one year, the student will still qualify for free fees in their repeat year.
If however, following a Leaving Certificate recheck and upgrade, an institution can accommodate a student on their higher choice of study and the circumstances in the above paragraphs do not apply, but the student seeks to defer this option, the student must be advised by the institution that he/she will not be eligible for free fees for year one of their higher choice, should they take up their higher choice of course the following year.
In those circumstances, the students will be billed by the college with the full economic cost of the first year of the higher option course and will revert to the free fees scheme in year two. This cost will vary from institution to institution and between courses based on the delivery costs of specific programmes.
The free fees scheme should not be confused with the €2,500 registration charge, payable by all students annually, unless exempted through the Susi grant scheme.
Distribution of course places based on Dare/Hear
A second issue concerning callers to The Irish Times Help Desk over the past few days relates to securing CAO offers based on eligibility for Dare (disability) and Hear (economic disadvantage).
Where a student is offered a place on a programme, other than on their first choice course, under the Dare and/or Hear schemes, and secures an increase in their grades through the appeals process, can they utilise their eligibility under the schemes to secure an offer of a higher preference course at the end of September?
Unfortunately, all places on the Dare and/or Hear scheme are allocated in the round one set of offers on Wednesday, August 25th. No such places will remain unfilled at the end of September, when subject appeal results are issued.
If such a student wished to use their eligibility to either or both schemes to secure an offer on a course higher than their revised CAO points score, they could only do so by reapplying to the CAO the following year and taking their chances in that year’s competition.
Music appeal
A student who was disappointed with an H3 result in Music, as she is a talented musician and expected an H1, contacted our help desk. She was concerned as to how the appeal process works for music, as there is no recording of her practical exam, which covers 50 per cent of her overall grade. She was very happy with her practical exam.
Unfortunately, the music practical is the only component of the entire Leaving Cert that cannot be appealed, as there is no recording of her musical performance. This seems grossly unfair to all music students taking the Leaving Cert and should be rectified for future students immediately.
Help desk
The Irish Times Help Desk is now closed and will return on Wednesday (August 26th) at noon to deal with questions relating to CAO offers and any other questions. It will also be available to readers on Thursday and Friday.
